All the gear I used to hike from Massachusetts to Canada in August.
Leading up to my first, solo, thru-hiking trip of the Long Trail, I read many blogs and websites to craft a list of the gear I would need for hiking in August. Here is a comprehensive list of the items that I took and changes I would make for next time, keeping in mind that I have yet to invest in professional lightweight gear (some day, fingers crossed!).
My full gear list (most weights listed) can be found here: https://lighterpack.com/r/kozc6g.
Essentials
• Map of Long Trail
• Guthook (app)
• End to End guide
• ID, cash, credit card
• GPS Spot
Guthook was the best navigational app I could have chosen. Most people on the Long Trail and AT were using Guthook because it is excellent for showing many useful waypoints (food, water, shelters). It is also fantastic at showing your location to track whether you are on or off trail. I cannot recommend Guthook enough. Consequently, I rarely used the physical map, and I never opened the E2E guide. I probably would take the physical map again as a backup, but the E2E could stay home.
I had the GPS Spot (Spot gen3) for safety, so my friends and family could track where I was every hour. However, this did not work well on the LT because the canopy was too dense to regularly get a signal. In the future, I would still carry it in case of emergencies, and I could send my location when I am out in the open if I don’t have phone service. I was told by an AT hiker that the GPS spot did save a woman’s life when someone incorrectly gave her “ramps” to eat (they were lilies).
Electronics
Phone
Phone charger
Power bank
Power bank charger
iPod & headphones
GPS Spot charger
Dry pack
I found plenty of opportunities to charge devices when I stayed in town; however, the power bank was definitely necessary. Mine could charge my phone up to three times, and this was satisfactory for my frequency of use. My headphones for the iPod broke the very first day, so my iPod was rendered useless. This caused me to use my phone for music instead which I would have rather not done. I would likely try to take my iPod again in the future. Overall, I tried not to use my phone often to conserve battery, except for the periodic picture and navigational check. A small dry pack held my electronics which was useful during the two times I was heavily rained on.
The Big Four
• Backpack: REI Flash 55 women’s S
• Shelter
Hammock rain fly: KRAZY hammock rain fly
Rain fly string and stakes
Plastic ground cover/ footprint
• 30 degree sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad: Thermarest ultralight
My backpack was perfect at 55 L, and I would make this my go-to backpacking pack. It had great storage space, even with my bear canister, and the hip straps were a lifesaver. My 30-degree sleeping bag was cold only for the first night, and the bag comfort waffled between perfect and hot during the following nights. For my shelter, I bought a cheap, plastic ground cover that I used as a footprint for my sleeping pad, and I used a hammock rain fly. The fly was diamond-shaped which made for questionable coverage in the rain. A square tarp would have been best. Also, this didn’t protect me from mosquitoes, but it was only an issue one night. On the LT, there were so many shelters that I only used my personal shelter three times. This helped me cut down weight. For the sleeping pad, I prefer pads that inflate so they can mold to my body better. I am happy with my sleeping pad, and I would use it again.
Gear
• Black Diamond Headlamp
• Bear canister
• Z poles
• 60L rain pack cover
• Sawyer Squeeze
• Lighter
• Bug net
• Small alarm
I was one of the few people who opted to have a bear canister. Everyone else had bear bags, but most people didn’t hang them properly, if they hung them at all. I felt comfortable knowing my food was safe and that I wasn’t feeding wildlife, and I never had an issue with needing to find a hanging spot. However, the weight was definitely a downside, but I think it was worth it.
I would not change anything about the sawyer squeeze + life water/smart water combination. This was a popular choice because its lightweight, and you can fill it easily and rapidly.
My headlamp, Z poles, and rain cover were used when I needed them, and I would take them again. The bug net saved me during the one night when mosquitoes were ruthless. I had a lighter “just in case”, but I never used it since I wasn’t cooking my meals. Furthermore, I carried a small (but loud) alarm that could be triggered in case of an emergency (bear or otherwise). I never needed to use it, thankfully.
Food items
• Spork
• Talenti jar (eat the ice cream first)
• Life water
• Iodine tablets
Choosing to cold-soak made for a lighter pack, and I don’t regret doing this. My meals were boring, but I was hiking for efficiency and to spare my knee from carrying more weight. The foods I used for cold-soaking in my Talenti jar were mostly ramen and Far East pre-spiced couscous. For breakfast, I had oatmeal packets, granola bars, peanut butter packs, and/or Belvita snacks. For lunch and dinner, I had ramen, couscous, mashed potato flakes, and/or tuna packets in olive oil. For snacks, I had Ritz crackers, Clif bars, and trail mix, and I used Propel powder in my water when I needed a boost. When I went into town, I also tried to eat some fresh produce. I carried iodine tablets in addition to my sawyer squeeze, but I didn’t use them.
I tried to cold soak mac and cheese, and this did not work at all. The noodles were soggy on the outside and hard on the inside, and the cheese was more like yellow water. I learned to stick with fast soaking pasta, like couscous and ramen. However, the Far East couscous was not my favorite, and I lost a taste for it early on in the trip, swapping to ramen for most of the hike.
First aid
• Acetaminophen
• Antihistamine
• Other medicine
I learned too late into the trip that leukotape is amazing, and next time, I won’t leave for a trip without it. I was OK with not having antibiotic ointments because they make bandages not stick; however, it could be useful in the evening before bed. I found that it was more effective let my feet and sores dry out, instead of applying more salves or moisture. For the first four days, I needed a lot of acetaminophen since my body (knee specifically) was adjusting to the pack weight and all-day hiking. Afterwards, I didn’t need it.
Bathroom
• Trowel
• Toilet paper
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Floss
• Biodegradable Soap
• Diva cup
• Hair ties
The luxury item here was the biodegradable soap. I only used it once when I desperately needed it. Otherwise, I stuck to showering in town once every 4-5 days. The Diva cup was essential, and I would recommend this over pads and tampons all of the time. I did end up cutting my toothbrush in half to shave off some ounces, and while floss might not be essential for some people, I really needed to use it. Do not carry deodorant- the weight is not worth it, and it isn’t important when you are hiking.
Clothes
• Day shirt
• Day shorts
• Thermal shirt
• Thermal pants
• Light fleece jacket
• Rain poncho
• Underwear x3
• Oboz Boots
• Darn tough Socks x3
• L.L. Beanie
• Sports bras x2
• Buff
• Ball cap
My wardrobe included one outfit for the day and one outfit at night. At the end of the day, you want to sleep in something dry and clean, and I reserved my thermal shirt and pants for bedtime unless I desperately needed it. If I knew I would end the day in town, I would wear my bed clothes during the day. Having only one shirt and one pair of shorts to wear every day sounds gross, but the reality is that you will be muddy, you will get rained on, and you will sweat all day regardless. It’s okay. So, make sure that your clothes are synthetic, so they will dry more quickly. This will also allow you to rinse them and dry them out overnight if you find a place to do so in the evening. I bought my generic shirt, shorts, and sports bras from Walmart. Also, I had a light fleece jacket and beanie, just in case it got chilly. I used them a lot more than I expected to, especially at higher elevations, during the morning, and at night. I also carried a regular ball cap, but I hardly used this because it was too hot to wear during the day, it was shaded enough in the trees, and I used my beanie if I wanted something warm on my head.
I had three pairs of darn tough socks, and this was not enough. Next time, I would have 4 to 5 because the sweat and mud hardened my socks which rubbed into the sores of my feet. It was also too humid and wet for my socks to dry out on my pack during the day. Because I wore Oboz boots, my boots rarely fully dried, so I was putting dry socks into wet boots first thing in the morning. I would not wear boots again, but instead, I would wear trail runners that dry more quickly. Furthermore, I had a rain poncho that was useless in the rain. Luckily, I was only rained on twice, so it wasn’t a major issue. I would have a regular rain jacket next time.
Additional
Journal
Pens
Ziploc bags/trash bag
My journal was my luxury item. I didn’t carry any books because I know that I never get around to reading them; however, I was very grateful to be documenting the trip in my journal. This helped me remember the people that I met, the towns and restaurants that I stopped at, and the lean-tos that I stayed in. I will always have this with me on a trip! I also carried a couple bags to put dirty clothing/food wrappers in or clean clothes to keep dry during the rain.
Let me know your opinion if there are any changes you would make! Happy trails!
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